Men's Basketball

Tyshawn Taylor expects ‘crazy’ game

Kansas University students K.J. Hadjis, Colorado Springs, Colorado junior, left, and Tyler Betz, Montrose, Colorado sophomore get wild during the second half on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012 at Allen Fieldhouse.

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The end is near for Kansas University senior guard Tyshawn Taylor, who has just two home games left to play in his college career.

Both figure to be major happenings — Saturday’s 3 p.m., clash against Missouri in what is being billed as the last game in history between the rivals in Allen Fieldhouse, and an 8 p.m., March 3, Senior Night contest against Texas.

“I think it’s definitely going to be the biggest in my four years,” Taylor said, asked if Saturday’s rematch of a 74-71 loss to the Tigers on Feb. 4 in Columbia, Mo., could be the biggest game since Allen Fieldhouse opened.

“Look at all the people we have out there (hundreds of student campers). This is the most campers we’ve had in a minute, so I think it’s gonna be crazy. I’ve been a part of probably three or four like really crazy games, and I think this is probably going to top all three or four of those,” Taylor added.

The Jayhawks are eager to make up for the game at Mizzou Arena in which KU squandered an eight-point lead late.

“We’re still kind of bitter about that,” Taylor said. “We kind of let that slip away, so we’re going to try to bounce back at home.”

KU coach Bill Self believes this has the potential to be the greatest game-day atmosphere in at least his nine seasons at KU. After all, a victory would assure KU a tie for its eighth-straight Big 12 title with two games left on the slate. What’s more, the country’s top high school prospect, Las Vegas’ Shabazz Muhammad, will be sitting behind the KU bench as part of his official recruiting visit.

“I haven’t been here that long, but this is my 10th year counting the year I was here with Larry Brown,” Self said of the 1985-86 season. “I don’t think there will be anything that compares to it. The only night I can think of that would be close to as energized would be the inaugural event, the opening of the building. I would think that would have been a special, special night when KU played K-State to open the building (March 1, 1955, when KU beat the Wildcats, 77-67).”

KU junior Jeff Withey realizes the roar before the opening tip could raise the roof.

“You can barely hear yourself think when it’s like that,” Withey said. “It’s real exciting playing in an atmosphere like that. I know it’s going to be really intimidating for the other team.”

He wrote: “Let my emotions get the best Of me tonight apologize to all my jayhawk fans and anybody who supports me or our program won’t happen again!”

Self said Thursday that he speaks with Robinson “all the time” about teams trying to frustrate him.

“We had a kid at Oklahoma State named Byron Houston that was a beast, but he was emotional. When you’d put a reserve or two reserves in to lay on him or something like that, he’d get frustrated. Thomas has really handled that, for the most part, really well,” Self said. “Last night, there was nothing that Texas A&M; did that was even remotely worth getting frustrated over. You’ve just got to finish plays. That led to his frustration as much as anything.

“I think it happened (shoving A&M;’s Ray Turner as they fought for a loose ball) strictly out of frustration because he hadn’t had a good game. I don’t think it had anything to do with the actual play. It was frustration for a lot of reasons, how they defended him and that kind of stuff. That is what disappoints me. I think kids can get emotional in a scuffle or a loose ball, that doesn’t bother me. You have to think for the team’s benefit, and you can’t push anybody, which was a bad play on his behalf and probably gave them the only chance they had to possibly win the game.”

Missing Mizzou?: Self was asked if he has personal feelings about playing Missouri for the last time.

“No,” he said. “I love playing Missouri. I loved playing them when I was at Illinois, and I’ve loved playing them since I’ve been here, but it’s not anything that I’m going to sit around and think about. I don’t feel that strongly at all about it.”

I was there for USC last year and the meter hit 118. Let's get to 120 and show the tigers what an amped crowd REALLY sounds like. No pyrotechnics or PA system emploring hand clapping required to get a raucus AFH crowd

Tyshawn Taylor is one of the best guards we ever had, so many teams had more depth, more scoring, but this guy is awesome, when they need a basket he just goes and gets it. Amazing. Can't wait to see you in the NBA!

No he's not one of the best guards we ever had. He could have been had he been focused the last three years but instead he'll leave with a bitter taste in a lot of our mouths because of his impetuousness costing the Jayhawks the chance to benefit from his skills that we are just now seeing.

Aloha - Frankamp lit up Ellis' team last night for 37 points (Ellis 11) and back to back losses for Ellis. Probably the first time that has happened to Perry. Let's see how Ellis responds, this should be a good learning experience. Also Frankamp looks like the real deal.

I just visited the college BB page for CBSsports.com where they have the public poll for POY. It appears you can vote more than once, since I voted yesterday, and again this morning. I think both votes counted. At least it didn't inform me that I had already voted.

TRob was still in second, behind Davis by 12% (about 6150 total votes cast).

p>CBS.com also has a separate writeup which lists each of the top player's stats for the entire season. Makes for a quick and concise analysis for comparing everyone to everyone else.

My prediction before tip off when they show the noise meter that shows how loud it is in the field house, will hit 120. The loudest I have ever witnessed the noise meter hitting is around 112. Can't wait. I hope the noise in Allen Field House continues the whole game. Looking forward attending the last game between MU and KU. I think it will be a long time before each school ever plays each other again on there campus courts.

The DEA just released their data on the top METH-PRODUCING STATES of 2011. You know where this is going, right? The rankings are based on meth lab seizures for the year. And……..#1 on the list……with a total of 2,096 meth labs busted in 2011 . . . that’s an average of 5.74 meth labs PER DAY is……..(drum roll please) MISSOURI!

Have you ever met a meth head? Or someone from Missouri? You are spot on. The biggest morons and red necks I know aren't from West Virginia (so backwards Arkansas makes fun of 'em), but from ...
Missouri.

Oh, that's our mistake. We thought you might have been going for a tongue-in-cheek question.

But then we realized that might be a couple levels up from your average Misery fan's comprehension level.

So... for serious answers to your "serious" questions:

1) No. But then again, apologies are only meaningful when they are for something that ACTUALLY happened...

2) KNG has been alerted, but they will be posted at the border, to prevent any throwback slavers from trying to pull a reprise of Quantrill's Raid. Because it seems like MU fans like to glorify the actions of that former slave-supporting terrorist.

Speaking of the former players Has there been any information about a DVD from the Legends game being marketed? If ever there was a "slam dunk" (pun intended) hot selling product, that would be a quick infusion to some fund or worthy cause to sponsor it.

While it has always been fun to play against and beat MU I have to admit I will not miss the low class action of some of their fans. It reached a new low when ESPN Game Day was there for our last game. The Antlers are a group of students/fans that have made a science out of harassing the other teams. One of their stunts has been to find out the other team's players and coaches phone numbers and call them non stop before the game. One of these slime balls held up a sign on national tv that had Bill Self's Mom's phone number. Talk about off limits! And you wonder why HCBS is not upset about not playing these guys anymore.

Welcome Shabazz. An all Las Vegas backcourt would be special next year. I wish I could be there but will have to settle for watching CBS here in E. Tennessee......On another note, living here and having acces to all the SEC media outlets, lot of folks understand the addition of A&M but just scratch and shake their heads about Miswho. For the first time in 14 years I will be attending some games in Knoxville rooting on the Vols (ouch) vs the traitors (wearing KU gear, of course).

Can't wait to stomp Mizzou!!! And to think I'm going to get to be there and Senior night!! How lucky I am. Senior night is so sad and we're all going to be weepy to see Tyshawn go. You've given us 4 years of your life and we're so thankful to have had you in the jayhawk family. A BIG THANK YOU!!!

1] I think you can count on a new noise level record because even the "sit on their hands" old alumni hate Missouri and will be, for a brief two or three hours, Kansas students again and will give Missouri non-stop Hell!!!

2] No matter how hard they prepare, opponents get swallowed up by the atmosphere.

3] The refs are human .....no way that, at some subconcious level, it doesn't influence their calls.

4] It's like a sixth man on the court for the Hawks.

5] The spirits of Wilt, Coach Allen, Dr. Naismith and Coach Don Fambrough will be stalking the sidelines.

6] Missouri...just look up and look at the banners and look to the south end and see the names...this is our house and you don't belong.

7] Although they will deny it, many Tigers are conceding this one and looking toward a rubber game in the tourney.

8] Every Jayhawk who ever played for Kanasa in any sport and every student who ever attended Kansas wants this game....We... will....not....be....denied!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I only worry about point #3 from the standpoint of the officials going into the game knowing that they are human and are therefore susceptible to the whims of the cheering masses and overcompensating to avoid the look of impropriety. Especially after the Columbia game.

All true Oak. Add to #6, look to the North and see the National Title banners hangin'.... We are an elite program, and your in our house now. I hope we have an amazing game tomorrow. Its gonna be electric in there, I can hardly wait!

"Hello recruit in Texas that used to sign with us here Tigers when we were in the Big 12. Come play for us at Methzoo. As coach--here's my mugshot---I promise to drink brass monkey every morning before practice. As for not playing anywhere close to a thousand miles from home throughout the season, here's a little package of meth to make you and your parents fooooget-about-it."

Reading about the 1996-1997 team's win against Mizzou in the conference tournament gave me an absolutely sick feeling in my stomach. It still hurts to think about them losing in the tournament to Arizona. Hands down that was the best team in the country that year. I'm biased (and young), but I think it was one of the greatest college teams in the past 30 years. They just happened to run into an Arizona team that was ridiculously hot (beat 3 #1 seeds during their run). That's the beauty and drawback of the NCAA tournament. We have taken a lot of heat (some of it justified) for losing to mid majors in the past 10 seasons, but those teams know they have nothing to lose in facing Goliath. I'm hopeful that our men can make a run this year, but once March hits, nothing surprises me anymore. I couldn't post this on the KU-MU border wars breakdown, but I had to get it out somewhere.

For all the Self haters I'll repost:
The only constant in winning 8 straight big 12 championships is Self and his staff.

Duke lost in the first round to VCU in 2007, Providence in 1997 and Eastern Michigan in 1996.

North Carolina lost to George Mason in 2006 Weber State in 1999 and didn't even make the tourney in 2002-2004

Kentucky lost to UAB in 2004 and didn't make the tournament in 2009.

Florida lost to Butler 2011, BYU in 2010, Manhattan in 2004, and Creighton in 2002.

Ohio State lost to Siena in 2009 and Utah State in 2001.

I guess all of these coaches aren't up to snuff either. Who hasn't lost to a mid-major at some point? The mid-majors most likely are conference champions if they make the tournament. They typically are very disciplined teams that don't have a lot of upside, but play at a consistently high level.

With freak athletes you have huge games and poor games. Typically someone as talented as players for KU, UK etc. have been able to get by on talent and fundamentals are not stressed in high school. When a college coach has only 1-2 years to get the uber stud fundamentally sound it won't happen. That's why you see flame outs.

Give me conference championships every year and a possibility of a deep tournament run and I'll be very happy. It's far better than what Roy gave us fans.

What you described is why I have a love-hate relationship with March Madness. If you are KU and a perpetually high seed, anything short of the Final Four is a disappointment. Combine that with losses to mid majors over the years: Bucknell, Bradley, UNI, VCU and during Roy's era, losses to Rhode Island and UTEP, and you can understand the criticism.

It was acceptable on some level to lose to UCLA in 2007 and Michigan State in 2009 and even Georgia Tech in 2004. If KU had lost to Florida State or Notre Dame last year in the Elite 8, it would have been much more palatable than losing to VCU.

Your initial post on this was in response, I recall, to questioning Self's "blame" for the losses to mid-majors. See, guys like you can't even assess any "blame" to Self. He's God, he's magnificent, can't make a mistake. And obviously, you've never coached .. if you had, you'd know that a coach can make monumental errors in prep and handling of a team that effect the outcome. Self has a major role in this. You can't give him the credit, and not the blame .. unless Self is God.

Also, I get pretty tired of the Roy-bashing. Roy brought this program to appx. 15 years of national respect. Final Fours, championship games, conference titles, excitement. Just not the national titles. Four Final Fours in 15 seaons vs. 1 final four in Self's tenure. Self has the title and that may be a trump card.

Self is fallible same as every other coach. That is my point. There is no perfect coach. The only reason I pointed out others failures is to prove the point that no one coach is perfect. As KU fans we are spoiled by success and I just wanted to put that into perspective.

Roy was a heck of a coach that helped to keep KU relevant. But one championship in 9 years (or 25) is still better than 4 final fours in 15 years. Roy never lost in the first round with Kansas though.
I loved Roy and he was always very personable when I saw him around town. One of the funniest times was when we were in Quick Shop and a short bus pulled in with about a dozen special kids dressed up as pumpkins (a funny scene when you are being overrun by pumpkin heads unexpectedly). He just shook his head and said, "Only in Lawrence."

Once we begin the New Year, I’m ready to say adios to football for obvious reasons.
Chiefs have seldom made the playoffs in the last decade and after New Year’s Day, I’ve pretty much had my fill of the bowl games.So here we go with college hoops for the next three months or so until baseball season arrives.

Alright, I’ve got a beef with the league's coaches, writers and broadcasters.
They need to be called out for screwing up the pre-season polls.
They whiffed on this one, big time.
Every year, the so-called experts close their eyes and automatically anoint Kansas as conference champions.

The Jayhawks have won it seven years in a row.
Not so fast this time.
KU will be lucky to finish in the top 5.
There is no way the Jayhawks repeat this season. Thomas Robinson is terrific but he’s a one-man band. And I don't know about you, but I’m already getting tired of listening to the Beakers whine about this being an off year, losing the Morris twins and losing Selby and on and on and on.

Come on. They've got eight lettermen returning and start four juniors and a senior.
Here's the problem. Bill Self had a disastrous year on the recruiting trail.
They have no bench and have a big problem protecting the basketball.
KU fans need to get a grip and realize it’s not a birthright to finish No. 1 every year.

Be aware, this Missouri team is really good.

There's all this stuff out there that the Tigers haven't played anyone.
For the record, Missouri’s RPI, according to the NCAA, is 10 spots better than KU's.
Look, let’s be honest.

Jayhawk fans deep down, are worried that Missouri is indeed headed out the door to the SEC with that nice shiny Big 12 trophy.
Yep, it’s the one that has been on display in the House of Phog for the last seven years.

This will be the Tigers final parting shot to all their enemies at Mount Oread.

Jack's Smack lmao, KU fans stayed with this team even after the Davidson downer!! KU fans knew this season would be a battle and stayed loyal to Kansas Basketball. With all the veteran Jayhawks in the house, not ex Jayhawks, once a Jayhawk, always a Jayhawk, Saturday will be special!!

Tyshawn--I have supported you all the way! You are a true warrior! Tomorrow it's time for war with Missouri basketball! Come out and salute the four corners of the home crowd because then they will know what they mean to you--that you are ready for anything Missouri has got--and that you will battle to the end--come what may!

Ty, you've been average at best the last 3 1/2 years, but stellar this Big 12 conference season. The MU game will cement fans' view of you for your career, because it's that important to us. Kick some righteous ass. RCJHGKU

Put the brisket on the smoker. Fire up the grill with some thick cut steaks. Break out the last of the home grown potatoes and slice 'em up and cook 'em in butter. Then grab a bunch of ice cold adult beverages to settle in to your favorite easy chair to view the end of a war.

Man I wish I was going to this game. It will be the one of the most amazing games EVER. Like the 2008 football win only better. Someone yell a few decibels for me too! Have fun - it will be the game of a lifetime. Rock Chalk Jayhawk. KU!!

The Star just had a Q&A session which was attended mostly by MU fans. I found it interesting. They really want to continue the series with KU, I see why they would want to continue, but for the life of me I can't figure out why we would want to continue it. They were worried about who would be their rivals and decided Arkansas was the most likely. They're not even in the same division as Arkansas, I can't believe that would be a major rivalry. They were beginning to worry about scheduling and hoping that all of the Big 12 wouldn't refuse to schedule them, especially for the non-revenue sports because the Big 12 teams were so much closer and it would cost so much more to go elsewhere. There was also some concern about recruiting. AtM is already experiencing trouble with scheduling and recruiting, I imagine it will only be worse for MU. It seems funny that they're just now thinking about those issues while they're still crowing that they were invited to the CSA (Confederate States of America) and we weren't. Looks to me like any money they gain will be eaten up with long road trips, that they'll have trouble with recruiting and scheduling, and won't really have any rivalries. You almost feel sorry for them, almost.

Look at AFH tomorrow. Count the number of posts here regarding the MU game last time and this time. The rivalry makes us better. Listen to the radio talk shows. Everything highlights our superiority. Sports, really, is about fun .. this is fun. Fun beating them. Fun to argue about. Fun to give a hard time to MU fans about their stellar basketball history. This conference chase has been more fun that in the past for a number of reasons, but at the top of the list is to steal it away from MU.

It's different for us. We play for championships. They play to beat us.

They wear Bucknell T-shirts. We can't remember who they lose to.

I'd play them once a season, alternating home and away. It is good for us. It'll happen.

The reason it has been good is because it is in conference. Tomorrow's game is the perfect storm, we're both in the top 5, both competing for a conference championship, and the last game between the two. I'd rather play Arkansas in the future, rather than the team that started the whole Big 12 dissolution.

I would say the number of posts is directly related to the fact that they are leaving and the rivalry is ending. Take that away, and yeah it's probably slightly higher, but no where near the proportion that your comment is making it out to be. We've played them how many times? And tomorrow is going to be maybe the most rockin' AFH has ever been. Why? Because something is different. The rivalry is ending. Take that away, and it's just another KU-MU game.

(I'd throw out a twist on something you enjoyed going to before and tell you to "stop whining and crying about the rivalry being over", but as I said before, that adds nothing to the argument and can be inserted easily, and cheaply, onto either side of the debate).

robot - yes that is different from most years, but not completely unique. Misery has come in here highly ranked before. In '94 they went undefeated in the Big 8 and ranked higher than us. Today's game will be a bigger occasion than that. So again...why? Because they are leaving.

bradh - your post illustrates something I have been saying for months; something I was saying when Misery was (unsuccessfully) whoring themselves out to the Big Ten; when they were busy destabilizing the conference by turning tail and hoping the SEC would accept them into their confederacy; when I was wishing that first KU would find themselves in a stable conference enviroment and all the while hoping that we would finally be rid of them...I was saying this - who are they without us?

Who is MU without this rivalry? A football school? Hmm, they never won the Big XII, never went to a BSC bowl game, and despite KU's woesome football track record they hold a whopping 1 game lead over us in the overall series. With that pedigree they're in trouble deluding themselves into thinking they can compete in the SEC. A basketball school? No Final Fours. A player on the national scene maybe once every ten years.

They are nothing without us. In normal years, I'd say 7 out of every 10, they are barely good enough that they can gain some modicum of relevancy simply by playing us. They latch onto our tradition and lie to themselves that they even belong in the same discussion with us, even in the loosest sense of the term "rival." Are they our rival? Do we compare ourselves, measure ourselves, against them? Of course not. They are a leech, a parasite, piphering off of our greatness. Clinging to our coattails in an attempt to try and make themselves look better. I say no more!

And for those of you that want to continue this rivalry because beating them is fun...I agree. Beating them is fun. What you fail to see is that if we agree to continue playing them we will be handing them a victory. I say we kick them in the teeth as they are down on their knees pleading with us to continue the rivalry, and then turn away and only look back occasionally to laugh at them. This is not a case of us feeling jilted and "taking our ball and going home." It is cutting off dead weight. Removing a cancer. I rejoice in never having to play those slavers again. I revel in the fact that the fine young men that don the crimson & blue will never again have to endure the classless remarks from their fans about dead relatives. You want a win? Severing all ties with those vile excuses for human beings is the biggest victory I can think of for our players. KU basketball will go on without missing a beat. MU basketball...well again, who are they without us?

dylans, don't give a second though to that guy who took you to task re Bill Self's tournament record, etc. He is one of the most contentious posters on this site.
I enjoyed reading your research. Keep it comin'.

Note to Thomas: be yourself and play your aggressive under-the-basket game. Forget looking at the scouts, in the mirror, in the POY polls; we want the inspired Thomas back. Note to Jeff: remember your 0 at Fizzou and make it right with aggressive rebounds/blocks--this game will define you in fans' minds. Note to Tyshawn: you have been average at best in the last 3 1/2 years, but terrific in Big 12 play this year; this will be your defining game in KU fan memory. Rock Chalk Jayhawk.

Taylor you are the man, I will miss you next year, thanks for all you have done and your growth over the years, it sure is fun to watch you ball. Get your oxygen and relax and enjoy this game, get your groove and smile on,

TRob go beast mode, but with no fouls.

Jeff they are quick, hold your feet and go vertical, block them into next week.
Releford, just be you.

Elijah, they will double TRob so you will be open, do what you do, drain 50% of your treys and send those cats back to boonville....